Confirmed! Bananarama 33CD Singles box set: full track listing

The time has come… Without further ado, SDE exclusively brings you the full and confirmed track listing for Edsel’s 33CD BananaramaIn A Bunch: The Singles 1981-1993 box set. In total we count 310 tracks and 50 previously unreleased worldwide. There are 46 selections new-to-CD (in addition to the unreleased tracks) and frankly, more remixes than you can shake a banana at. Remember you can pre-order this set via the Demon Music Store, or Amazon UK. The former only ships within Europe, and both are just shy of £100. In A Bunch: The Singles 1981-1993 is released on 31 July 2015. Please let us know whether this lives up to the hype and meets your expectations by leaving a comment!

@Kiefer2, thanks! I’ve been told by a friend that they re-did Nathan Jones CD! I wrote them about the corrected CD without the glitch. They sent me the replacement CD. I’ve got it in about 7 days (UK>NL).

The Bananarama Mega-Mix (10″ and 12″ versions) on Disc 21 (I Want You Back) sound very much like vinyl rips to me, and not really good ones. There is a hum in the background that is noticeable when you transition from another track on that disc, and the sound is not crisp like the rest of the tracks. When they sing “locked in a prison cell” at 0:16 on the 10″ version, there is a telltale blur of distortion on the word “cell,” and it can be heard on other “s” sounds as well.

Perhaps the masters couldn’t be found. But a vinyl transfer can sound better than this.

Max, I posted the same comment over at Discogs and someone mentioned that he thought the original mixes were made from vinyl sources, so that might be it. I haven’t heard the original 12″ but it might explain the sound.

There’s a jump on Nathan Jones CD-14 @ 1:15! They talked about this on the PWL forum. Some said this 12″ Mix (without the jump) is also on The Twelve Inches Of Bananarama! Other said it’s not the same mix. Nathan Jones CD-03 & 14 sound a like but they are slightly different as well. I hope Edsel will replace the disc!

Album Version (3.29) – sounds more demo-like (no snare)
7″ Version (5.12) – from the LT&H CD
Edit (2:18) – from LT&H CD
Full Length Club Mix (5:14) – from the LT&H CD.
12″ Version (6:00) – from WOW Deluxe
Dub (5.13)

That’s a very long 7″ Version, and the “Full Length Club Mix” is not really full length, is it? It is the same length as the 7″ LOL. And the edit… who fades a song during the second chorus… gahhhh! Seems like a weird thing to do, where did that originally come from?

Where is the Nathan Jones (Psycho Radio Edit) as found on the US Greatest Hits Collection? I find that version far superior than any other. Also, would have loved to see an album edit of the original More than Physical but I guess it doesn’t exist or there was no room. And the Tripping on Your Love (Metropolis Mix Edit) didn’t fit!!!

anyone else in Canada still waiting for their box set????? I’ve ordered very often from amazon.co.uk…just since the beginning of 2015 this is my 7th order..and they usually take from 3 to 6 work days….it’s now going on 10 work days tomorrow(thursday)…not counting that 2 weekends have gone by too…I’m getting worried…and dissapointed everytime the mailman gives me a package or a delivery notice when I’m at work….and it turns out to be an item I’m not WATING SO MUCH FOR!!!!Especially sucks knowing that so many of you in the States already got it last week…

At least my chinese copy of Madonna’s Ghost town maxi cd has finally arrived this morning after an entire month :)

Patrick, I had a notice left in my mailbox today stating that they tried to deliver it on Sept. 8th while I was at work. Not only will I have to go to the post office to get it, I’ll have to pay over $30 in duty and taxes.

Hey Gordon..i take it you’re in Canada if you’re telling me about your missed delivery….why didn’t they leave you a notice card on the day they tried to deliver it,instead of 2 days later? If they tried on the 8th with you and i still didn,t get it today(the 10th) chances are I’ll get it tomorrow….and will have to get it at the post office if it doesn’t fit in my mailbox…hope i don,t have to pay import taxes too….though it has never happened to me with amazon.co.uk in the last 10 years….

But if it isn’t here by tomorrow it is officially late cause it was sceduled to arrive on the 11th at the latest….last time that happend to me,i had a 3 cd shipment and it was 2 days overdue…i was on their customer chatroom and they were about to ship me a replacement shipment with the fastest shipping..all free of charge…very nice of them…but the mailman rang the doorbell and had it in his hands…just in time for me to have the guy at amazon cancel the replacement…

Yes, Patrick, I’m in Canada. I have no idea why they didn’t leave the notice card the same time they tried to deliver it. That was odd. This is the first time I’ve had to pay duty/taxes on a shipment from any of the Amazon sites, but it may be due to the dollar value of the goods being higher than usual. Anyway, I now have it in my possession, and I don’t work these next two days, so I’ll be totally preoccupied with it. I hope yours arrives on Friday. :)

nope i didn’t get it…i chatted with someone from customer service at amazon.co.uk and they told me it should have arrived…but i gotta wait till the 17th to see if it shows up..if not they will send me a replacement….I’m really bummed out!

As for paying duty taxes on yours.it’s just the luck of the draw….i was once told by someone that works at customs that often they only charge taxes on random items….the amount of the package doesn,t always play in it….i just got a Star wars card set worth 275$ and i didn’t have to pay taxes… guess you were just unlucky….

I took last monday’s holiday for this coming monday..so would be nice to get it in the morning..at least I’d have a few hours to listen to part of the set.

Does anyone know what the version of “Strike it Rich” is on the Japanese 2 track snap-pack? Across all the versions/remasters I haven’t seen any version with that timing (5:02). Could it be the US 7″ Version?

There does seem to be a glitch (like an audible “swipe”) in the instrumental of Robert DeNiro at around the 0.40-0.44 second mark. (during the “watching a film or a face on the wall” line). This isn’t a complaint-the set is stellar-just something I noticed.

“Does anyone know what version Track #1 is on the “More Than Physical” disc?”

How much longer than the 7″ ? Note that even the 7″ single had multiple versions. The original was released in UK/USA/Canada/Australia. Unsure if this is the one called “worldwide single version” because it was also released as a picture disc. But “A version very similar to this one is available on the album Bananarama – Master Series” which, if I understand correctly, was a UK only mix.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Master_Series_%28Bananarama_album%29

Does anyone know what version Track #1 is on the “More Than Physical” disc? It is shorter than the album version, but longer than the 7″ single remix. I haven’t been able to find any info on a mix with this time.

I’m still waiting for my copy to arrive here in Canada, but I was just browsing eBay and noticed someone is selling the discs from the set individually for £4.99 each plus shipping. I guess if someone only wanted certain singles this would be welcomed, but I want the whole bunch.

I’m in Canada too and still waiting….how come people from the States got it faster? Canada has the same postal servece as the UK and we usually get our amazon.co.uk items inside of a week…unless people from the US that got it used the priority shipping?

Keeping my fingers crossed that it arrives tomorrow…I’ve done away with all the shopping and chores i had to do,so i could spend my entire weekend off going through the box set…….sucks even more if it doesn’t get here tomorrow cause there’s no mail on monday due to a holiday….then I’m working 12 days in a row with not much time to listen to music :( eveytime i have something coming in the mail that i CAN’T WAIT for….there’s a damn holiday!!!!

I just heard it once for the moment but LT&H (original 12” mix) has a very interesting beggining with all those little sounds you don’t necesseraly pay attention to when you listen to the single. The end is basically the chorus 3 or 4 times and a last drum only chorus.

For A trick of the night (original PWL mix) it’s the demo you hear in the making of the video (from the WOW DVD) with a different drum line on the chorus, the whole song is very interesting to listen to, one of my favourite.

There is a glitch on Nathan jones CD, on track 14 (12” mix), just after”as I recall” at 1’15. Apparantly everyone has it.
The track is only available on Nathan Jones Maxi CD. It’s not on the reissues or Megarama. It’s not the Twelve Inches of bananarama version either.

Just started listening to the first CD’s. I noticed there’s a lightly alternative intro to the US Dub Version of Shy Boy. This version on the box has no reverb in the intro while the other version has, on one of the recent remasters.

Fricking BRILLIANT box set. I will be spending my whole weekend with it!!! Quick question, why was “Set on You” not included as a proper CD in this box? I have the Canadian 12″ release and would love a CD with remixes! I know it was a limited release but so was “King of the Jungle” right?

In Canada we got a set on you 12” and it’s a rarity to other countries..but technically it was just a quick way to make some cash just after Trick of the night dissapeared from the charts….Nothing really special about it….an altered sleeve of Do not disturb….Set on you was just a b-side…ghost as well and a remix of More than physical …just 3 tracks that hadn’t been released in Canada at that time… and i doubt there are unreleased mixes of Set on you floating out there..and any mixes of Ghost or Physical belong on Do not disturb or More than physical….so no need to have a 34th cd in the box….maybe a mention in the booklet though for people who don’t know about that release could have been a nice little touch.

Cool that King of the jungle got it’s on cd….but at least this release had it’s own very unique sleeve and a few mixes…telling us that maybe a 12” was almost released….but damn i can’t wait to hear that extended mix!!!!

Did you listen to a few mixes yet??? :) There are a few i can’t wait to listen to….some mixes and dubs that i haven’t heard in years cause i don’t have a working turntable anymore….both dubs to Love truth and honesty that i have NEVER heard(the only mixes i never found a copy of) and like i said King of the jungle(extended mix) and Do not disturb(alternative 12 mix”)

anybody from the uk taht got the set today..give us some info please!!!! contents….mixes times….unreleased mixes opinions…..

Just logged on amazon.co.uk..and my order was shipped today..I’m in Canada and it usually takes from 3 to 5 work days to get stuff from them…..once it took 2 work days to get a package….i hope it gets here nt friday sept 4…that way I’ll have friday night and all weekend to go through all 33 cds..would suck if it wasn’t here by then cause sept 7 is a holiday in Quebec(no mail) and my next weekend off is 2 weeks later…

Would be cool to get the times for the tracks if someone from the UK already has the set…

Are they for real with the release date? I got an email from amazon pushing the date back once again, to September. Now SDE says it’s coming out this week, and indeed amazon.co.uk shows a release date of August 28th.
I placed my order immediately, and am in no rush to get it, thankfully, because these constant delays really do a trick of fans. Whenever it will come out, it will be great.

Don’t know if September 4 is correct, but wowhd is showing that. I just looked there 2 days ago, because the usually have reasonable prices. But not this time, not on this item. I also checked with Edsel and Amazon and both says August 28. I have not recieed any mail about pushing back release date any further than August 28, so I think we can be 99,99 % sure it’s August 28.

@Patrick, play com & wowhd used to be my 2 favourite places for CD/DVD/BluRay/games. But since the Japanese took over play com I mainly ordered from wowhd. But since the recent changes there I will check every time I need to order: grooves-inc com or jpc de. I pre-ordered mine from jpc de, when they sent me the Free Shipping offer incl my country, for €144.99 :D

Absolutely brilliant. The only negative comment would be that the original artwork was much, MUCH better. But who cares, as long as the music is all there. Just like the new Duran album cover is hideous but the new songs are brilliant. Thanks for the site Paul. Can’t tell you that enough!

Personally i have nothing to bitch about….i just learned about this set yesterday,looking up information to see if there was anoth mix compilation on the way.At first i was shocked at the price,but after looking up the tracklist,i bought it immediately from amazon.co.uk….I’m in Canada and it added up to 193$ wich even though it’s a lot of cash..there are 33 cds in the set guys..and with the box set,all 6 deluxe albums and megarama we’ll finally have ALL their 81/93 discography on cd.i never thought it would happen.And we’ll never have to get all those old cds and vinyls out when we want to listen to EVERYTHING !I probably have listened to Bananarama more in the last 2 years then from 86(when i started collecting) to 2013 and it’s due to being able to get so much on cd in just a small covenient pile of discs.

So thank you to everybody who worked on all these fine deluxe editions and this box set.You have made this fan VERY happy…now comes the waiting game till it’s in my hands …to look at and of course listen to!

I see several mixes I don’t have obviously… As that is part of the pros of this box set. But the price really is offsetting me considering quite a few of the never released or first time on CD are instrumentals and dubs. Which have never thrilled me much. I’m hoping someone will parse the discs out and sell them online individually. Even as I have almost every countries version of pop life on CD, cassette and vinyl.. Unless the price comes down I think I’ll wait to add to my already fruitful collection. I also agree with someone who said it would be nice if there is ever a post London days collection.

A couple of U.S. sites are offering this set for about $145 – $150. Shipping is a bit extra, about $6, even on sites that usually offer free shipping above a certain dollar amount. The explanation: the package is an “overweight”item. Ship date is 8/21/2015.

It is available for pre-order on jpc de: €144.99 + €2.99 shipping to NL while on myplaydirect com: €133.99 + €22.29 shipping to NL (and unsure where it would be shipped from, since I don’t even want to pay additional import duties if it’s shipping from outside the EU)!

Okay, but the total price is still way more than jpc, which i know for sure there won’t be a problem with the import duties from DE to NL ;) if they offer the free shipping again in Aug it will be even cheaper :P

I’ve read the description of this set on a number of retailer’s sites and some mention “limited edition”. Haven’t read this on the Demon Records webpage or anywhere else. Have to wonder how many will be made.

What a complete waste of time for a band that is simply not important in the world of music- I am gobsmacked that a record company would put any money into this when there are so many other worthwhile artists who have been simply ignored! Why buy?? Donate your hard earned pennies to a worthwhile charity that will make you feel better!

LOL. I did forget one group. Roxette. Their first 2 albums would make a great Edsel or Cherry Pop reissues. All the mixes from both of those albums alone would make them both 2 cd sets. Looking for the hard to find Extended Mix of DRESSED FOR SUCCESS. I have the rare 3″ CD single.

I think that would very be unlikely a Roxette deluxe. Per Gessle over the years has been very generous in releasing “The Rox Box” and recently his Per Gessle archives box set, which have various unreleased tracks. You should listen to “There Is A Ghost In The House” Why this was never on an album, fab.

Yeah, I got that one and noticed the same thing. I guess at the time I didn’t care too much since I had most of the cd singles to fill in the missing blanks, so to speak, but I would definitely want them all together on the cd.

I wish Edsel or Cherry Pop would get their hands on Laura Branigan’s catalog. Right now, Gold Legion is reissuing her albums, but they take FOOOOOORRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEVVVVVVVVVVVEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERRR to release the cd. I mean over a year’s wait for each release. They do add some bonus tracks, but nothing like what Edsel or Cherry Pop does.

I also would like to see all of Sheena Easton’s catalog reissued again. I know One Way reissued her albums back in 2000 and they did a really good job. Would love to see what Edsel and CP could do :)

@Robert M
Cherry pop released “The lover in me” in 2006 but i was so upset with it….. Too much remixes and dubs missing just like for Pepsi&Shirlie or Sonia ressues…. Too bad. Hope for a real Deluxe edition

Utterly utterly brilliant and fantastic release – and as someone who bought all of their singles by this greatest of all girl bands as they were released, from ‘Aie A Mwana’ onwards, I’m pretty overwhelmed that such a package was ever put together. This must be one of the most comprehensive releases ever put together for any artist. I do hope there will be a ‘Volume 2’ to capture everything after ‘Please Yourself’. Bananarama’s sheer pop magic and joy will be around as long as ABBA.

Others are right to suggest that similar packages could be put together for other key acts like Thompson Twins, Dead or Alive and Pet Shop Boys, and it would be cool to see something similar for Grace Jones (how many mixes and b-sides must there be for her?!) and Madonna, but pre-Evita (before she became absolutely dreadful (barring ‘American Life’ – which is superb!)).

Sorry – don’t agree at all. Madonna is always at her best when she’s not trying to keep up with trends and trusts her introspection, which is why ‘American Life’ is hugely underrated, and why “like a Prayer’ is her best album.

Cool. I disagree with you also. ‘Like a prayer’ is certinaly up there. I also rate ‘Confessions’ as mentioned and ‘Erotica’. I love ‘Confessions’ from start to finish love Jump, Forbidden love, Hung up (overplayed of course) but still, Future lovers, I love New York. Don’t agree she was trying to keep up with trends just a purely great pop / dance album.

This looks absolutely stunning, congratulations to all concerned. I know if the previous reissues and Megarama are anything to go by the design of the box set will be top notch.

It’s great to see “it ain’t what you do” is finally getting to take its place amongst the others.

some queries now:-

There was an alternative 7″ of “Preacher Man” on the rhino pop life reissue from a few years back. I don’t think that was released anywhere else – could this be the same one?

Also , I seem to remember the rhino reissue of “Deep Sea Skivin” had a slightly different version of “Girl About Town” which was slightly extended, though not the actual extended version. I wonder if that will be on here.

Looks pretty bloody good to be fair. At no point in all of the last 30 years did i foresee that the act to set the standard on deluxe reissues; remix collections, and now box sets would be Bananarama! Quite literally incredible. Neither did I think there would be so much love for them in 2015! (new album please Nana’s!).

And yes, there are a handful of other acts who should be watching this with interest – Dead Or Alive; Pet Shop Boys; Alison Moyet; Boy George etc.

‘A Trick Of The Night’ will be first to get an airing – an amazing song.

Damn right! Dead Or Alive,Pet Shop Boys should follow.
Never forgetting the instrumental versions of In Too Deep as PWL did not include on their Box Set.
And the Pet Shop Boys all versions of What Have I Done To Deserve This US 12 Inch Mixes among others just to mention a few that were never released on CD.

Unfortunately, according to Amazon UK, the re-release of Viva this Friday is simply a reissue of the original 11-track CD, not a deluxe version including the various pre-order tracks, B-sides and remixes from the era.

I have to say, it’s so incredibly fortunate to have had a fan at the helm for all of this stuff. The attention to detail is exceptional and the execution has been exemplary on this and of course the album reissues/Megarama. Even the 7″ version of True Confessions is include fer chrissakes! This truly does set the standard for how these types of projects should be done. As for the box itself, I personally like it. I like the mash-up of iconography from the various albums and even the nod to the Robert De Niro’s Waiting sleeve. It’s literally a dream come true to have my old 12″ singles artwork replicated as CDs (especially A Trick Of The Night and the pre-Venus singles) and to have so many rarities finally in CD quality. Thank you thank you thank you!!

Amen! Tom’s work goes above and beyond – and then a little bit further when it comes to pop re-issues. I have never been disappointed once with anything he puts his name too. I’m so grateful he cares and bothers to do these things so well.

Sorry, Mike … I was mistaken about “One In A Million”! The 12-Inch Master (05:38) was set to be on the 3-CD Megarama but it was pulled & replaced. I can only assume, at this point, that Keren & Sara just don’t want those demos ever released. But finished 7-Inch and a 12-Inch versions *do* exist (unfortunately of “One In A Million” — not my beloved & coveted “Love Generation”).

Jacquie doesn’t have to be on the cover, yes… she should appear out of courtesy and nothing else but not on the cover. She was in the band for 2 years and the original line up is the line up that STICKS! For 6 years at their most successful :-) I LOVE the new art work, I wish you queens would all shut up and be happy with what you are given!

I didn’t really like the new cover at first but quite like it now I see the full pack shot. However, Jacqui should have been on there, there’s not really any excuse for her not being unless she didn’t want to be.

Sarah, Keren & Siobhan are the original members of Bananarama and the classic line-up that most people would remember. Jacqui was a member for a very short period of time right at the end of their most successful period which was 1982-1988.

Since we don’t have to care about beautiful artwork on the box anymore or having this hidious container in our collection, would anybody be interested in just the singles from the old, alternative Banana? (up to Hotline To Heaven). I am actually only interested in the singles of the SAW-period and afterwards. Maybe we can split the box and save some money. And we’ll both be happy with all the mixes from the era we love.

@ Edward.
I would be happy to split the box with you as I’m only interested in the pre-SAW songs… Plus Cruel Summer 89.
Let me know if you are serious, although i’m not sure how we would contact each other!
Sfcbows

I’ve always wondered about the “Digital Mix” of “Cruel Summer”. IIRC, it was a mix made by the “DJ Service” remixers (like Hot Traxx) that were used at the time. The fact is there were MANY DJ service remixes of Bananarama tracks-why is this one always put on these compilations, but none of the others? Am I wrong about it being a DJ service only remix? Just wondering.

Pleasantly surprised that so many people still care for Bananarama all these years later. Who would’ve thought. Here’s hoping that these kind of sets are made for more bands that should have singles box sets.

Okay, every tiny bit was posted fine after I’ve chopped them up. Only this part wasn’t & kept saying I posted the same before/again. After I separated Face Book with a space ” “! It got posted. So I guess FB in full wasn’t allowed, is that correct Paul S.?

“TP: I’ve thought about that before, but all of the discs apart from one of them are over 75 minutes and there comes a point where you think, where do you draw the line? You know, do you want backing tracks of all the albums? …”

Well, I hope everything will be available op itunes/7digital/others like many other PWL/SAW stuff. So we fans can decide what to get ourselves.

“SDE: What we want to know is, have you got something already in the pipeline, that is going to have those mixes of Love, Truth And Honesty that will come out at some point on a CD format ?

TP: [Evasively] Wouldn’t that be nice? You can look at the way Edsel have handled other artists work… yes there is other Bananarama stuff – the “Hellfire Mix” of Venus, the “Banana Mix” of Do Not Disturb, the “Miami Mix” of I Heard A Rumour, blah blah blah – if these reissues get a good response commercially, …”

I was going to buy the first 4 initially. But pre-ordered all 6 of them. I do hope a special edition of 2 or 3 discs will be released like Paul Young’s or Five Star’s Remixes Compilation with the rest/omissions.

Thank you:
Tom Parker (for doing the great job on all the reissues & in particular the Bananarama’s);
Edsel (for listening to & giving us the fans of what we all wanted) and
Paul S. (once again for this site so we can tell the record companies of what we miss or what we want, all the updates, all the inside info’s, still waiting for Paul Young’s of Tomb Of The Memories)

Agreed with all others, this box’ cover arts were much better before than this is now ;( It looks so cheap (yep, like a cheap/budget compilation)! Just peel off the banana skin (this new cover art outer box) we will get the tasty fruit (all the Singles in their original artwork covers)

Finally, the longest wait of my life ;) Wow, amazing, to have all the mixes/versions collected at one place (not sure whether it’s complete, so nothing’s missing)! I also did hoping for more original instrumentals/backing tracks (noth those “karaoke in the style of…”)! If the Kylie & Jason tracks had those, why did the Bananarama’s not having them? ;( I myself would prefer to have the same song’s mixes right after each other so you can hear the differences between them (original album/7″ remix/12″ remix/12″ dub etc for example) instead of side a, side b, side a mix, side b mix etc. It doesn’t really matter as long as I have all the available mixes I can always do my own compilation CD’s one day ;) or in the itunes library :D The singles up till Megarama were/are the ones I’m after, the rest are less important (for me, don’t mind to have them included here)!

OMG – I am sitting on pins and needles for my copy to arrive here to the USA. This box set is literally a DREAM COME TRUE!!!!! The *only* tiny missing puzzle piece I see is ironically my favorite Nana release (also one of the most elusive) … “SET ON YOU.” I was spellbound the first time I heard this track and then stunned when I came across the 12″ in a record shop in Toronto. I have always been mystified by the bizarre Canada-only 12″ promo release (with “Do Not Disturb”-seque sleeve and equally odd b-sides) … have never been able to track down any sort of explanation. (Was Canada to be a test market? Or was it a particularly hopping Canadian club scene in 1987?) Whatever the case, it appears that this is the only Nana single not to be included in this phenomenal deluxe edition. And, yes, I am aware that all tracks from the “Set On You” Canadian promo 12″ are on other cd’s here. A cd reissue would have been a neat little novelty. If ANYONE out there can explain the Canadian release, I would be eternally grateful. xoxo Luv U Kez + Sez (+ Shuv)!!!!!

Interesting. I have always wondered about why Bananarama released a 12″ single for “Set on You” exclusively in Canada. I’m Canadian and I remember hearing the song on the radio once, not sure if it ever charted here. I am hoping someone can provide some more information on this mystery.

“Set on You” is a deep and dark cut … far ahead of its time, even now it sounds innovative. “Falling, falling, falling, falling … ” I always thought it was a shame that the track was only released as a single in Canada … really, CANADA of all places? It should have had a proper release worldwide, or at least as a double A side on “A Trick of the Night.” It is a cult classic.

This box set is currently No. 50 in Amazon’s “Box sets” chart. I’m sure it would be much higher if Amazon actually understood what a “Box set” is. They list those standard TV advertised 3CD compilations under “Box set”. Grrrrr! If I’m buying a “Box set”, I’m expecting more than 3 discs.

Many many years ago, I talked to myself why there was no Bananarama albums reissued with special bonus tracks like many others artists that were released in that time. But since the year 2013, first 6 studio albums of Bananarama were received special treatment by EDSEL with many unreleased tracks. That made my dream come true. Then the 2015 Megarama album, and now , the Singles Box Set 1981-1993 is going to issue on August 14, 2015. And I am happy to know that there are many people love all Bananarama albums that get treatment by EDSEL and they wish these to happen for their other favourite artists too… ;-) Looking forward to get my hands on this Box Set..!

Cannot wait to receive this box set. Is there anything not on the Edsel reissues and this box set? Surely Bananarama are one of a few artists to receive this treatment. To own virtually every single Bananarama release from their time at London Records is amazing. I’d love to see this happen for Culture Club, Dead or Alive and Spandau Ballet. Also the Thompson Twins. I did think as it was the 30th Anniversary of their Into The Gap album last year it would have received the deluxe treatment but sadly not. The Into The Gap set could have been modelled on the TFF box sets. A great way to release their live video Into The Gap Live. We can dream.

Edsel did a great job already with the deluxe version of Into the Gap and the other 80’s releases. I would love to have a DVD of Thompson Twins videos .
I still listen to them frequently ….My favourite song of theirs is ‘ Sister of Mercy ‘ .It is still such a haunting song.

….Agree , Culture Club would be cool.
Another great artist just waiting for deluxe treatment is Carmel ( The Falling , More , More , More and Everybody’s Got a Little Soul ).

Maybe I should have said a super deluxe edition of Into The Gap. It could of contained all the single versions, demos, radio edits and of course the Into The Gap Live video. As the concert footage is filmed in the U.S. It would have been lovely for the U.S. Tour programme in mini form. Also including each of the singles with all mixes and versions plus any unreleased versions. The could have been on their own cd with the original artwork. I doubt it will ever happen. I wonder if Cherry Red or Edsel would release the video on DVD.

Fantastic! Thank you so much for the hard work put into producing such a detailed set – can’t wait to get my hands on it. Just a personal thing, but would’ve liked The Loveable Love Dove Caper of Tripping On Your Love included instead of one of the Dubs/Instrumentals but I’m nit picking unnecessarily, great job everyone involved!!

I’m so close with “Richard the Big Bunny”.
As I wrote before a few months, I was hoping to have
finally “Love Generation” in a better quality as I have since years.
This song is really amazing and very disco – a little bit an 80’s creation
of the disco classic “American Generation ” by Ritchie Family.
For me “Love Generation” has the same feeling.
Maybe they will release the demo in a few years… hopefully.

Okay, I thought I hated the new artwork … but I paused & read the comments … and I’ll save my judgement till it’s in my hands. It’s not the beige cardboard or the birds/sharks/etc print that I hate; it’s the yellow & blue around photos I don’t like either! :-D But I’ll shush. Wait & see.

Glad to hear the “covers design” or some approximation is on the other side.

This all looks a bit 1986 — and not in a funny / ironic / retro-chic way. Perhaps it’s better in person!

I prefer highly-stylised / high concept covers like I WANT YOU BACK, LONG TRAIN RUNNING and MOVING ON … maybe even I HEARD A RUMOUR.

Artwork on a box set (especially on a huge & thorough retrospective like this) should be virtually *art*, in my opinion — with either the best TIMELESS photos of the artist ever *OR* simple with no photos at all (on the front).

I have no complaints about the tracklisting … as I usually end up only liking less 10% of non-single-mixes anyway.

I’m still hoping that one day I will have a clear studio copy of the demo LOVE GENERATION (1989?) — it’s so wonderful! It uses the same music as ONE IN A MILLION (on the recent 3-CD set) and WAKE UP & LOVE ME (all demos with different lyrics over the same base track). Despite them choosing to put ONE IN A MILLION onto CD, it’s LOVE GENERATION that is far & away the best lyric — it actually sounds like a proper summer radio hit! The others don’t even have a hook — whereas LOVE GENERATION has sing-along irresistibility like I WANT YOU BACK and VENUS. I keep hope alive! :-)

A lot of the tracks are already included on the deluxe reissues which were released in 2013. Although there is some additional material, it does not warrant the £100 price tag being asked. I feel this release and the Belinda Carlisle box set is exploiting fans just a little.

I think the new cover IS hideous. the previous cover (rightly) illustrated
*what* was in the box: i.e. singles. it looked great, all the colours (and various sleeves)
all worked so well together. the new cover just does not have a similar kind of impact.
the horrible brown/beige-y colours used don’t help either – and as has been rightly pointed
out, the whole thing looks like a Robert De Niro sleeve knock-off.

Google “box of bananas”. It’s inspired by how bunches of Banana’s are packaged. The “beige-y colours” is a cardboard effect. The front image of course looks like a megamix of Robert de Niro’s Waiting, Love In The First Degree and Movin’ On. It’s old designs mixed together to create something new. Anyone can stick 33 thumbnails in a row.

totally get what you are saying, and while it’s very imaginative
(and I applaud what they are going for) I just don’t like the whole ‘box of bananas’
colour template etc. I just preferred the simplicity of the first.

This boxset literally made me cry with its tracklist! So amazing! Bless everyone involved.

Now my question is, is the “Worldwide Single Version” of “More Than Physical” from the Rhino Reissues the “DJ Edit”? I much prefer that version to the actual UK 7″ Mix (which has the “ba-ba-ba-baby”s present in the intro as well).

The “DJ Edit” (which is the mix name provided on the UK 7″ promo) is indeed the “worldwide single version” (another made up mix name from a wiki), without the “ba-ba-ba-ba-ba” vocal stammers at the start. They were probably removed so the DJ could talk over the opening as it was introduced.

I’m not sure if this will work, but I’ve uploaded a pack shot, which shows a little bit more of the box set for everyone? I’ve added a link to it in the “Website” field of the “Post Comment” box here. if it doesn’t work, I’ll try something else!

Not sure how to reply to a reply, but thanks Kiefer2 and Anthony regarding that info on the “Analogue Mix”/Dave Ford mix of Nathan Jones. My info did indeed come from Wikipedia so I may update it myself.

Saad – re Sade reissues, whilst I’d love to see these, I’m not sure whether they’ll ever happen. There are politics around the Diamond Life era tracks especially, which is where a good number of the rare tracks hail from.

The former drummer with the band who was dropped before they recorded Diamond Life but who played on a number of the single B sides has been involved in a long-running (and increasingly paranoid) battle for royalties for his involvement with the band during this era, so although he’s been unsuccessful, I imagine the record company isn’t keen to add fuel to the fire by putting out material from this time on which he was involved.

I was never more than a casual fan so probably too much for me, but the tracklisting looks pretty comprehensive.

Have to echo the comments about the sleeve design though – hideous! It’s disappointing that there seems to be trend in deluxe issues (see the Texas 25 debacle) for so much work to go into the contents only for a ‘premium’ product to be let down by such amateurish cover art. A design student on work experience could come up with something better than this!

I think “hideous” is a bit out of order! I’ve seen the rest of the box and it’s full of lovely designs, motifs and fan-pleasing witty slogans! I like that it’s such a mash-up of all the faithful fonts and illustrations from all the single sleeves and it matches up with the album re-issues and Megarama compilation perfectly. The booklet is also absolutely stunning… so many gorgeous photos and loads of memorabilia depicted. I’m pretty sure the only hideous thing to be seen once it is in your hands will be everyone’s faces as their jaws hit the floor.

This is a fantastic box set. Congratulations to all involved in producing this – including Keren and Sara.
However, there are loads of unreleased songs/demos. Hopefully, these will see the light of day in the form of an official release. In addition, hopefully Ultra Violet and Exotica can be remastered and expanded too.

@Sean and @Than. You guys are spot on. It kind of makes you want more artists to have releases like this. It spoils you. LOL. And I know she’s not on the label, but Madonna would be a perfect example of a box set like this. If Edsel got their hands on her stuff…. LOOK OUT :)

I’m really curious about the More Than Physical 7″ Mix. There’s the standard single mix we got in the States, but there’s also that slightly remixed UK 7″ version. Anyone know if the latter is perhaps also known as the Garage Mix Edit, or DJ Edit?

Shane, there was a 3:44 7″ version and a 3:19 7″ version. One was the standard UK 7″ and the other used on the UK 7″ picture disc I believe. Presumably the DJ edit is the short one of these.

There was also a 3:14 unique version of “Venus” on the “More Than Physical” 7″ Picture Disc B-Side which seems to be absent here. I’m sure there will still be more mixes missing, but over all this is a fantastic collection.

It is difficult to believe that, after all of my numerous collecting efforts for all of these years, there is more that I have never heard. I am at a loss as to how to describe my excitement at this announcement. This is beyond my wildest dreams. Needless to say, if it is re-issued, remastered, or unreleased and it is a band/group/artist I love, money is really not an issue. I want to see more of this. Bananarama are the first at something yet again! :)

Don’t forget, in addition to theses amazing tracks we still have 48 pages booklet, mini poster, sticker, and postcard set to be included in this box set…;-) No wonder why it release on August 14, give the team who produce this set a time for a complete and perfect box set…:-)

Oh my God. I am exhausted reading all the tracks. That is a GOOD thing :) You guys hit this one out of the park. Great job. Now if other companies would pay attention to Edsel and see what reissues are really about. Can’t wait for this and the Belinda set.

Re; “just a little note, one of the two single versions of MORE THAN PHYSICAL is missing”… er, no it isn’t. This box set has been tirelessly complied and researched by a fan who knows his bananas. If there’s something not here, it doesn’t exist, basically.

Again it’s not really far to BC because her label just didn’t make more then a remix or two of her singles. However, most of those remixes are already on the reissues except “In Your Wildest Dreams” and the still missing remix of “I Feel the Magic”. The should have made a special CD of rarities instead of a CD Single Collection.

Wow! This really is giving the fans what they want – and value for money, too. To Max, I would say that, given the completeness of the rest of the package, it’s probably safe to assume that the missing instrumentals don’t exist, are long-lost or on spoilt master tapes.
I bet Belinda fans are feeling short-changed right now!!
I cannot wait for this to arrive.

Well that’s not a fair comment as Belinda is well known to hate studio recording which is why there aren’t hardly any unreleased songs and MCA/Virgin was never in the 8 remixes for a single game [not that a bad thing].

I would prefer the cover art that was originally shown (it would be perfect then), but that aside I am extremely excited by this. It is far beyond anything I could have anticipated. Congratulations to all involved.

The “Analogue Mix” of Nathan Jones is missing isn’t it? It appeared on the first cassette issue of The Greatest Hits Collection” (and possibly the original vinyl issue?) but was quickly replaced by the single mix.

“The Analogue Mix” isn’t an official mix title, as such, it’s just what a fan called it casually as it had no mix name when it turned up on vinyl and it seems to have stuck thanks to it featuring in the wiki page for Nathan Jones. The correct mix name is Dave Ford Mix, which was “officially” given to it when it was re-issued.

Very happy with the tracklisting. The first artwork is so much better but it’s the content I’m after. Ten years ago who thought us Bananarama fans would ever get such royal treatment. I was hoping for the allege 7″ Mix Of “Ready or Not” but we can’t have it all.

Now Edsel/Paul can you make at least Ultra Violet and Exotica avaliable. I believe the girls own the rights to those two.

The cover works better when you see the full box. It’s designed to look like a box of bananas. Those bemoaning the original place holder imagine will be pleased to hear the back of the box features that same design illustrating all the singles sleeves in thumbnail size, just on the “cardboard texture” colour/effect, not the blue.

Can’t fault them for the efforts. It is a mammoth set. I was hoping for a little more unreleased material. Not so many instrumentals. Gonna buy it still though. For the singles with Jacquie missing from the CD reissues. It’s still a great set.

Vinyl rips!!!! that would be stupid.we have been waiting for more than 20 years to have some of the mixes for the first time on CD without any distortion,innergroove distortion,sibilance,clicks & pops and you mention vinyl rip!!!
Luckly you were not involved in the making of this box set.
No turntable,cartridge or stylus in the whole world could ever read as precise of a good laser beam while reading a High Quality remastered CD.
This Box Set is what Deborah Harry,The Beloved,Soft Cell,Marc Almond or any artist should release for the fans.PERFECT.

Maybe they could release those two missing instrumentals as free downloads for those who buy the box? That would be OK and feasible, I think…
I’m not a big fan of Bananarama, but I’m always happy when people make such an effort like in this case. And everybody’s a winner, because the label won’t get bombarded with complaints and the fans won’t feel shortchanged. And it may just help push the others to follow suit. PSB, for example. :)

As I predicted, with only 1 Cd per release they could not fit all the remixes done for Tripping On Your Love so mainly the “Sweet Exorcist Dub Mix” remains unreleased on cd, but also the US promo cd edits (Euro Trance 7″ Edit, Metropolis Edit) and “The Strum Mix”

Real Shame as they should have added these to one of the other releases, especially the Sweet Exorcist Dub, since they went to all the effort of including the promo remixes and left this one out
why? :(

I have a copy of that CD promo and it was quite easy to get a copy back then (here in the States) , not sure how “rare” they’ve become but I’m not complaining those two are great mixes and I can always pull out the CD when I Want to hear them.

Amazing track list! It’s all present and correct and I can’t wait to get my copy. The new art work is terrible when compared with what had been in use up until now. It looks like a first draft of the “Robert de Niro” single cover using the “Love In the First Degree” photos! Please change back!

History made Paul. First time there are no complaints about missing tracks. Even the very rare “Do Not Disturb” “Bananamix” is on there, as well as all the rare mega mixes and very rare instrumentals. They did a great job!
Thanks very much by the way for your amazing site!! I check it daily.

I can’t say I’m a Banana’s fan unlike those Minions but there’s been many CD Single box sets where there’s been around 15 minutes of music max. on each CD and the price doesn’t seem to justify the means.

You can’t fault the amount of material that’s been gathered together to produce this single box set. It would have been interesting to see the running time for each CD.

I hate being the one that complains after such a hard work but there was 2 instrumentals I was really hoping to have : Cruel Summer and Venus. It’s weird they’re not in here as it is, I think, 2 of their most successful hits. Is it just a lack of space ?

But I’m still buying that box, this is an amazing work, A trick of the night, Nathan Jones, Megarama… CD’s seems very complete.
Can’t wait to have this in my hands. Thank you so much to all the people involved in this project

i don’t think that they ever released instrumental versions of “Cruel Summer” and “Venus”… I think that’s why it’s not there! All the dubs made at the time are included… If you’re chasing for instrumental versions of Bananarama’s, then ask for each single…But I don’t think it’s possible either…

I agree, The first cover art is much better than this one although I did’t like it when it first came out…:-) Anyway, the track lists are very well done, though some tracks I’ve wished to be included are not here. This box set is absolutely amazing! Now I would like to see the snap pictures of the booklet and some postcards or stickers inside the box….;-)

that sounds great ! The “bana only” version of Help, all the versions of the megarama… If some mixes miss, let us know, cause this time it looks pretty much complete… It is just a shame that the box stops on the “London” Years, because I think there is absolutely no chance that the last part of their singles release get that treatment…

And , as some had already said before, the cover art is … well… my god! The first artwork worked better…

Was all set to get the Fun Boy Three expanded disc for some of the early works, glad to see them included. All in all, I seriously want this. I’m hoping other online retailers that specialize in “imports” can get this in stock.

Also Why has Jacqui ‘O’ Sullivan been excluded from the cover, it should be all four of them, She might not have been there in the beginning but her input was invaluable Especially When she took over vocals from Siobhan when singing love in the first degree live as Siobhan quit, also Nathan Jones That was re-recorded with Jacqui. Not to mention she was the best looking which is saying something as they were all drop dead gorgeous ,People seem to have very short memories these days.